Locating device for use in boreholes



May 14,-1940. R. KERR 2,200,505

LOCATING DEVICE FOR USE IN BOREHOLES Filed Aug. 30, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheetl qui IVR 5)"51 Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RalphL. Kerr, Oklahoma City, Okla., assignor of one-half to J. Eldon Peek,Oklahoma City,

Okla.

Application August 30,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a locating device for use in boreholes andadapted for the setting of various pieces of apparatus or tools atpredetermined locations.

It is frequently desirable to locate at predetermined positions in casedboreholes devices such as packers, Whipstocks, cementing plugs or thelike. Heretofore, such locating of various devices has been accomplishedwith substantial diiiculties because of the necessity for providingfairly elaborate means for locating the desired element in predeterminedposition and then release it from the locating means such as, forexample, a drill stem. It is the broad object of the present inventionto provide a locating device which may be set at any desired point in astring of pipe without using a wire line, drill pipe or the like, thoughit may be lowered by any one of these if desired. Specifically, thedevice comprises a counting means which is arranged to be actuated as itpasses each joint of the casing or other pipe through which it islowered. After counting a predetermined number of joints, the deviceautomatically locks itself at a joint and so locates a whipstock, plugor the like, which is lowered with it or which may be later lowered toit.

Specific objects of the invention, particularly relating to details ofconstruction, will become apparent from the following description, readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional View through an outer casing showingthe internal mechanism, primarily in elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through the internal counting andcontrolling mechanism;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating primarily theoperating device of the counting mechanism; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the plane indicated at4-4 in Figure 3.

The device comprises an outer casing 2 of cylindrical form adapted tofairly closely t, but pass through, pipe sections and joints forming awell casing, though it will be understood that in a modied form thedevice could` be used for use in drill strings or the like. The case 2is provided with upper and lower closure and adaptor members 4 and 6which may be provided with any suitable device for permanent orremovable connection of the casing with instruments or apparatus such aswhipstocks, cementing plugs, packers, or the like. Since the par- 1938,Serial No. 227,543

(Cl. Z55- 1) ticular adaptor used may be specially designed for eachtype of connection to be made, it will not be described herein indetail, but it will be understood that the adaptor may be of the manyconnector types commonly used in production practice.

Within the casing 2 there is located the inside casing 8 containing thecounter and operating mechanisms. In the bottom of this inner casing,there are slidably mounted a plurality, for example, four, of lockingslides Ill provided with tapered noses as indicated at I I and normallyyieldingly held in locked position by spring pressed detents I2.Normally these are flush with the outer surface of the casing 2 so thatas the casing 2 is lowered through the well casing or other string ofpipe, they will not engage the joints which are formed as illustrated inFigure 1 and` involve slight spacing of the various pipe lengths 5 wherethey are joined by the couplings 1. Generally a space of about a halfinch occurs between the pipe ends at each joint. When the device isnally located in position, the locking slides I0 engage between theadjacent pipe ends at a predetermined point.

In order to drive the slides I0 outwardly, there is provided tocooperate with their rounded inner ends a tapered Wedge I4 of circularcross section carried by the lower end of a spindle Iii on which ismounted a ange I8 pressed downwardly by l a strong spring 20, whichreacts against the upper end of the casing 8. The spindle I6 is providedwith a pair of keys 22 which extend through keyways in a guiding member24 secured to the frame through an intermediate supporting eleinitiallyadjusted and thereafter automaticallyy rotated about the axis of thedevice. The dial 32 carries markings 36 readable against an indexmarking 30, while the dial 34 carries similar markings 40 readableagainst an index 42.

At its upper end, the dial 32 is secured to a r ratchet member 46, whichmay have, for example, iorty teeth. The ratchet member 45 is designed tobe moved by means of a pair of pawls 48 pivoted at 50 to slides 52,which project outwardly from the inner casing and are adapted t0 beengaged by pivoted dogs 53. Springs 54 press the pawls 48 intoengagement with the ratchet 46, while springs 56 are arranged to urgethe slides 52 outwardly to move the dogs 53 beyond the periphery of thecasing 2 to such extent as to press against the casing section 54 andenter the space between them at the joints.

An upper ratchet carrier 58 is secured to the dial 34 and is providedwith a ratchet 6I), which may, for example, have forty teeth as in thecase of the ratchet 46. 'I'he ratchet 60 is adapted to be actuated by apawl 62 pivoted at 64 to the slide 68 and pressed into engagement withthe ratchet by a spring 66. The slide 68 is provided with a transversepin 'I0 engageable by the upper end of a lever 12, the lower end ofwhich is provided with a follower '14 adapted to be engageable by lugsI6 carried by the lower dial 32. A spring 'I8 urges the lever 12 towardengagement with the lugs '16,

The ratchet carrier 58 is provided with an opening from which extendkeyways 80 adapted to pass the keys 22 when the keyways are lined upwith these keys. Normally, the pin 26 holds the lower end of the keysslightly above surface 82 of the ratchet carrier 58. When the pin 26 isremoved, the spring 20 forces the keys 22 upon this surface to ridethereon until the keys may drop through the keyways.

In order to prevent accidental reverse movements of the ratchets theyare provided with detents, of which one only is illustrated at 84 inFigure 4.

In the operation of the device, let it be assumed that it is desired tolower a whipstock to a predetermined position within a casing. It may beintended, for example, that the lower end of the whipstock shouldfinally rest upon the top of the device just described with, forexample, the interposition of a suitable adaptor, which may be caused totake hold of the whipstock after the locating device is set in position.

Let it be assumed, for example, that the locating device is to bepositioned at a depth which corresponds to a certain joint in thecasing. This means that during the lowering of the locating device itshould pass and count a certain number of joints before the wedge I4 ispermitted to force outwardly the slides I0 to engage the next joint.Accordingly, the two dials 32 and 34 will be set to effect the propercounting by taking into account the fact that for the advance of everytwenty teeth of the ratchet 46 the ratchet 62 will be advanced one toothby the action of the paw] 62, this resulting from the previousassumption that each ratchet is provided with forty teeth. Accordingly,the setting is such that by having the desired number of steps impartedto the ratchet 46 the keyways 8U will be aligned with the keys 22, sothat, the pin 26 being removed, as soon as such alignment occurs thespindle I6 will be forced downwardly by the spring 20 to move the slidesoutwardly into engagement with the casing, so that at the next jointthey will move further outwardly and engage within it locking the devicein the predetermined position. The dials are suitably graduated so thatby being turned back to extents indicated by the markings thereon anypredetermined operation of the spindle I6 may be effected.

The adjustments indicated having been made, and the pin 26 removed, thedevice may be iilled with oil or grease to prevent the entry of mudwhich might jam the parts and prevent their` proper operation, and it isthen, together with the proper adaptor, placed within the casing throughwhich it may fall of its own weight. In general its fall will not beextremely rapid because of the uid friction offered by the mud.

At the passage of each joint the dogs 53 will rst rock outwardly andthen inwardly, causing step by step movements of the ratchet 46. At eachtwentieth step the ratchet 62 will be advanced one step. As soon as thepredetermined number of counts have been made, the alignment of the keys22 with keyways 80 will occur and the slides I0 will engage the casingat the next joint. The device is then rigidly held in its predeterminedposition to subsequently locate the whipstock or the like, which may belater lowered in an oriented position.

Instead of lowering an apparatus such as the whipstock after the deviceis located at its predetermined depth, it will be obvious that otherdevices, such as cementing plugs, may be lowered with it, or,alternatively, the counter mechanism. may be associated directly with,for example, the wedge actuator of a packer, so that upon dropping of aspindle equivalent to I6 engagement may be effected immediately withoutpassage to a next joint. It will be obvious that various changes of thisnature may be made utilizing the general principles of the inventioninvolving the counting of joints as a device of this general type islowered within the well.

For many purposes as, for example, when a permanently fixed whipstock isset, it may not be feasible or desirable to recover the device. It is,however, of an inexpensive nature and recovery in such cases need not bea primary consideration. On the other hand, if the device which is setby 1t is removed, the locating device may also be recovered by providingan overshot or other instrument to engage the upper end of the spindleI6, which may be made to project suitably from the upper end of thedevice for this purpose. By pulling upwardly on the spindle I 6, thewedge I4 is removed from behind the slides I0 and their tapered ends IIwill be cammed inwardly by the rst joint which is encountered, so as notto interfere with the free removal of the device. Under thesecircumstances, the keys 22 will be lifted from the keyways 8l] so thatthe dogs 53 may be actuated to advance the ratchets idly withoutjamming. The device thus recovered may be used repeatedly. Provision mayalso be made for removal of the device by a reversal of fluid flow ifthis may be effected. A piston arrangement secured to the lower end ofthe spindle can effect removal under such circumstances.

It will also be obvious that the particular means for engaging thejoints is susceptible of wide variation. For example, nose elementssecured to rotary members may be so arranged as to have imparted to thempartial rotations as each joint is passed. It is preferred, however, touse the ratchet arrangement disclosed herein.

The device may be used not only to set elements such as whipstocks,plugs or the like, but may be used, for example, to lower explosive to apredetermined depth where that is required.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for use within a pipe string in a borehole comprising a bodyadapted to pass through the pipe string, counting means carried by thebody, means for actuating said counting means at the joints of said pipestring, and means operable by the counting means upon the attainment ofa predetermined total.

2. A device for use Within a pipe string in a borehole comprising a bodyadapted to pass through the pipe string, counting means carried by thecody, means for actuating said counting means at the joints of said pipestring, means for engaging the pipe string to arrest movement of saidbody, and means operable by the counting means upon the attainment of apredetermined total to cause the last named means to engage the pipestring.

3. A device for use within a pipe string in a borehole comprising a bodyadapted to pass through the pipe string, counting means carried by thebody, means for actuating said counting means at the joints of said pipestring, means for engaging the pipe string to arrest movement of saidbody, and means operable by the counting means upon the attainment of apredetermined total to cause the last named means to engage a joint ofthe pipe string.

4. A device for use within a ,pipe string in a borehole comprising abody adapted to pass through the pipe string, counting means comprisinga single unit counting device and a multiple unit counting device, meansfor actuating said single unit counting device at the joints of saidpipe string, means operable by the single unit counting device foractuating the multiple unit counting device, and means operable by thecounting means upon the attainment of a predetermined total.

5. A device `for use Within a pipe string in a borehole comprising abody adapted to pass through the pipe string, counting means comprisinga single unit counting device and a multiple unit counting device, meansfor actuating said single unit counting device at the joints of saidpipe string, means operable by the single unit counting device foractuating the multiple unit counting device, and means for independentlyadjusting said 'counting devices.

6. A device for use Within a pipe string in a borehole comprising a bodyadapted to pass through the pipe string, counting means carried by thebody, means for actuating said counting means at the joints of said,pipe string, and spring actuated means rendered operable by thecounting means upon the attainment of a predetermined total.

7. A device for use Within a pipe string in a borehole comprising a bodyadapted to pass through the pipe string, means carried by the body forcounting the lengths of pipe of said pipe string traversed by thedevice, and means operable by the counting means upon the attainment ofa predetermined total.

RALPH L. KEER.

